EDITOR
STEAM APPRENTICE CLUB MAGAZINE
Steph Gillett, 93 Devon Road, Easton, Bristol BS5 6ED.
CHAIR, STEAM APPRENTICE
CLUB
Sylvia Dudley, 12 Hillway, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MKl 7 8UL
MEMBERSHIP
SECRETARY
John Cook, Dolfarni, Church Lane, Kirby la Thorpe, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 9NU
The Editor welcomes any contributions of articles, shorter items or photographs for inclusion in future issues. All material submitted is voluntary and payment cannot be made for any material published. The opinions expressed in the magazine, with the exception of Club announcements, are those of the contributors and do not indicate the views of the Club as a whole. All items are held copyright by the contributor and the NTET.
Please send your contributions to the Editor at least five weeks before publication. Typed articles are preferred but not essential. If handwritten put any names of PEOPLE, PLACES or ENGINES in BLOCK CAPITALS. If you require any part of your article (eg. photos) returning please say so and enclose a stamped addressed envelope. Enclose your name, address and (if an Apprentice) age with any contribution.
The Editor reserves the right to amend or refuse contributions, and will attempt to correct spelling and grammar!
The Magazine is normally published during the early part of February, May, August and November.
The Steam Apprentice Club is a section of the National Traction Engine Trust. NTET is a Registered Charity, No.291578. Registered in England No. L302197. Registered Office: Forum House, 1-6 Millmead, Middlesex TW18 4 UQ
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FROM THE EDITOR
Spring was late this year, but perhaps not as late as the Spring edition of Raising Steam! I am sorry this issue is so late, that it is the "Early Summer" issue. On top of all the usual problems of doing a newsletter as a volunteer, a bad period of illness has also seriously delayed this issue, so I hope you will all t-----~ bear with me and not be too upset or disappointed if your magazine does not always arrive when it should.
Now then where are all these articles, letters and photographs you used to be so good at sending me? Perhaps you have all been busy with exams or homework. I can make use of anything you send, whether long or short. How about some pictures of you on traction engines? Get your parents or someone else to take a camera with them next time you have a chance to steer an engine.
The next issue will now be the "Late Summer" issue. I hope that this will have as much news as possible from the rallies you have been to over the summer. So, to encourage you, there will be a prize for the best report we print. The prize will take into account age, how quickly you get it to me after the rally, and how interesting it is. It isn't a spelling competition, and younger members are welcome to get help from their parents, so I hope to get something from everyone! We will print them all! Anyone who does send in an article, letter or photograph will receive an extra copy of the magazine it is in-for your best friend, Mum, Dad, teacher, Aunt or Uncle, or you! If you can't think of anything to send in, why not try and get your favourite engine owner to scribble something on the back of a postcard for me ... ?
In this edition is our first commercial advertisement, from LIVE STEAM MODELS. We hope that other companies will consider placing advertisements, bringing you information about products related to your hobby and a valuable source of money towards the cost of printing Raising Steam. Don't forget that SAC and NTET members can place free ads in the magazine, details are inside the back cover.
It looks very unlikely that an Apprentice Driving Course will take place this year. I am sorry if any of you were hoping to go on this, but we just don't have enough adult helpers to organise everything we would like to, or that you have suggested. If you think you could talk a parent or other grown-up into helping organise Steam Apprentice Club activities please let me know.
Thanks once again to everyone who returned their membership questionnaire, and for your ideas. Some of the results will be in the next issue. If you volunteered to help with the Club but haven't heard from us yet, my apologies, but you will do. Some of you are perhaps not old enough yet to offer very much help but I'm sure we can use your enthusiasm in a year or two's time.
Have a really good summer, enjoy the rallies, don't do anything silly, especially near traction engines or other machinery, and let me have your news and views on any aspect of road steam preservation and the like.
Steph Gillett
July 1994
MAILBAG
Please send your letters, of any length, to the Editor for inclusion in the next issue of the magazine.
The Penfriends Scheme has not yet taken off, although several members have said they would like to write to someone else. I am asking them to write a short letter for the Mailbag to see if other members would like to become a penfriend.
Dear Mr Gillett,
I saw in your article in the Raising Steam magazine that Mr. Patrick Allen of Lincolnshire was offering an apprenticeship with his Fowler engine.
My father knows Mr Allen well and has spoken to him and he will be pleased to take me on. ram going to see him in a week or so when he will be steaming his engine.
Keep up the good work with your excellent magazine.
Yours sincerely, Iain Tubb
Knaith Park, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
(Good luck with your apprenticeship Iain, do let us know how you get on, and thanks for your comment about the magazine. Ed.)
NEW MEM·BERS
A warm welcome to the following who have recently joined the Steam Apprentice Club. We hope they enjoy their membership and find plenty of interest.
John Round, Birmingham, West Midlands
Georgina Roberts, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Yorkshire
Christopher Roberts, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Yorkshire
Oliver Jordan, South Cave, Yorkshire
Ian Wilson, Driffield, Yorkshire
Nicholas Shillito, Leeds, Yorkshire
Beth Ross-Smith, Asselby, Yorkshire
Sophie Ross-Smith, Asselby, Yorks~ire
Charlotte Siddall, Barnsley, Yorkshire
James Tapper, Blandford Forum, Dorset
Owen Henditch, Poole, Dorset
Edward Walters, Liversedge, Yorkshire
Helen Walters, Liversedge, Yorkshire
James Knox Harrogate, Yorkshire
Christopher Huson, Medstead, Hampshire
Samuel Webb, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Richard McCormick., Kettering, Northamptonshire
James Richards, Exeter, Devon
Ashley Dawson, North Seaton, Northumberland
Nicholas Trice, Southminster, Essex
Anthony Suffolk, Ormskirk, Lancashire
Stephen Mansfield, Bicester, Oxfordshire
Earl Gernon, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk
Christopher Ward, Sidmouth, Devon
Robert Morby, Gosport, Hampshire
John Banks, Halesowen, West Midlands
Alastair Hopps, Lanchester, Co. Durham
Andrew Knowles, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Colin Mcllwaine, Ballynure, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland
Robert Humphris, Yeovil, Somerset
James Cummins, Badminton, Avon
Daniel Cummins, Badminton, Avon
James Eatwell, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex
Stuart Harvey, Ware, Hertfordshire
Daniel Goddard, Thatcham, Berkshire
James Nicholls, Stockport, Cheshire
Sandie Mair, Carmyllie by Arbroath, Tayside, Scotland
James Gritt, Fleet, Hampshire
Simon Gibbins, Tiverton, Devon
Richard Gibbins, Tiverton, Devon
Richard Maskell, Wilstead, Bedfordshire
Erica Chick, Camborne, Cornwall
Gregory Chick, Camborne, Cornwall
Alastair Durance, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Stefan Parfitt, N orthfleet, Kent
Christopher Phillips, Leeds, Yorkshire
Kim Eschbaecher, Plymouth, Devon
John Eschbaecher, Plymouth, Devon
Simon Rhymes, Kingsbridge, Devon
Gavin Hartley, Rotherham, Yorkshire
Gavin Low, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Alice Low, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Philip Clegg, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland
David Thompson, Plymouth, Devon
Simon Hawksley, Betly, Staffordshire
Stephen Culham, Manningtree, Essex
Simon Petty, Plumpton Green, Sussex.
Kenneth Laird, Falkirk, Central Scotland
Alexander Durling, Haxby, Yorkshire
James Chapman, Sotham, Warwickshire
Tom Scott, Shoscombe, Avon
Matthew Davenport, Blackburn, Lancashire
Edward Dickinson, Keighley, Yorkshire
William Hatch, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Craig Bushell, Doncaster, Yorkshire
Lisa Preston, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Sophie Cooper, Witney, Oxfordshire
Lewis Richmond, Taunton, Somerset
Jack Edward, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire
Simon Latham, Telford, Shropshire
Steven Guise, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Paul Guest, Birmingham, West Midlands
Michael Lally, Downham Market, Norfolk
James Slater, Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Elaine Burbury, Markyate, Hertfordshire
Steven Barnard, Epwort, Yorkshire
Timothy Webster, Woodthorpe, Yorkshire
James Eagle, Malvern Link, Worcestershire
Emily Kennedy, Poole, Dorset
Gary Fensom, Redbourn, Hertfordshire
Christopher Gatrill, Rutland, Leicestershire
Samuel Woodfine, Bedford, Bedfordshire
Scelena Ward, Cranleigh, Surrey
Michael Cox, St. Albans, Hertfordshire
Tony Cox, St. Albans, Hertfordshire
Jack Smith, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Thomas Allen, Wirral, Merseyside
I am especially pleased to see some new members in the Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset areas, but also delighted that we have more Apprentices in both Northern Ireland and Scotland. (Where are all the Welsh?). Several have joined as a result of the article in Old Glory and thirty through buying (or being given) a Mamod model steam engine. You are all very welcome to the Club and I hope you enjoy the magazine. Ed.
The artist L.S. Lowry, whose paintings of the northern industrial landscape early this century contained 'matchstick men and matchstick cats and dogs', used to say "I paint things as I see them".
What he saw he did not glamorise on canvas. The result is that Lowry's pictures really convey the atmosphere, especially of Lancashire's mill towns, in those harsh times.
Alas, Lowry never, it seems, painted a traction engine, or a steam lorry, or a steam roller. He painted a railway engine (0-4-0 tank Level Crossing, 1946), but even in his famous painting of a pleasure fair (Good Friday at Daisy Nook, 1946) there is no sign of a
Peter Clare's Sentinel Snper Tiger at the Bristol Steam Fair on 14th July 1991
J. W. Mitchell's Foster Showman's road locomotive No.12940 Lancashire Lad at Heywood 1940.
(Photo courtesy K. Scrivens)
traction engine. Yet it is hard to believe that he did not see traction engines, etc. in his travels as a house rent collector - yes, he was a rent collector in Salford for the whole of his working life - for there were not only fairground engines in that area, e.g. Foster Lancashire Lad and Burrell His Lordship, but there would also have been road locomotives, frequently hauling Lancashire boilers to and from cotton mills, e.g. Fowlers Sunny Boy and Atlas.
Had Lowry depicted a traction engine, steam waggon or roller, however, it would certainly have been of a working engine without glamour or frills. The sad fact is that nowadays too many steam road vehicles are simply showcase/museum models, or even, as some might say, "smartened up to glory". These engines have, in fact, been sanitised, that is, cleansed of almost all their historical 'feel' and meaning. Such engines usually prompt the general public to ask only one question - "What is it worth?"
It may be that this trend has come about for the following reasons: a) some owners are more concerned with the monetary value and glamour of their possessions than with their historical significance and, b) certain steam rally organisers are, through the engine selection process, intentionally or otherwise, putting pressure on owners to present their engines as though they have just come out of a shop window.
Well, if you do not agree with all this, then tell me so, or if you are not certain what I am getting at and should you come across me in the cab of Tiger (Sentinel Super Waggon No.5665 of 1924), climb aboard then I'm sure you will understand!
Sentinel Super Waggon No.5665 (RS5540) of 1924 at Aberdeen Docks in 1960 (Photo courtesy J.L. Thomas The Sentinel Register)
Ii. Ii, Ii, Ii, Ii
RALLY ROUND
Included with this magazine should be a copy of the 1994 Rally List, please let me know if you did not receive one. These are the rallies authorised by the NTET and the following events in late July/August have indicated that they will admit SAC members free of charge, (provided that you show your current membership card at the entrance gate):
Cumbria Steam Gathering, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 29 - 31 July.
Cornish Traction Preservation Club, St. Issey, Wadebridge 6 & 7 August.
Thurlow Steam Rally & Country Show, Haverhill Showground, Suffolk, 6 & 7 August
In addition to the above free events, John and Fiona Durling will be taking the Steam Apprentice Club to the following rallies:
Driffield Steam And Vintage Rally, Driffield, N. Yorkshire 13 & 14 August. Harewood Traction Engine Rally, Harewood House, Yorkshil'o 27-29 August. They hope to organise teaching, steering and social activities; if you would like to take part, contact Fiona and John at 17, The Avenue, Haxby, Yodt, V0:3aEH.
Our rally activities have been only a fraction of previous years', indeed we have only so far visited a small event at Speech House in the Forest of Dean. This featured five steamers amongst the usual range of vintage transport and machinery, four of which were road rollers, or had roller connections. First in the arena were two Aveling and Porter rollers, the 10 ton 6932 (CJ4528) Jessie of 1908 owned by J. Williams & Sons of Hay-on Wye and the 12 ton 8548 (AF 4442) Britannia of 1915 owned by Henri Collings of Abergavenny. Next came a pure traction engine of 1904 vintage from Ross-on-Wye, the 6NHP Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies 15609(CJ4220)Lady Diana. A thirdAveling and Porter was the 3NHP convertible 11728 (TW6713) Tolerance ofl927 owned by Wm. Parker & Sons, Bream, Glos., here in its tractor form. Lastly an engine listed in the Traction Engine Register as a 10 ton DN type Fowler road roller, 17077 (UW1331) The Forest Maiden, owned by M & M.E.
Aveling & Porter Convertible tractor No.11728 Tolerance is prepared to leave the rally site at Speech House Brain, has clearly gone through a transformation at some stage as it is now in showman's engine form.
Fowler Shaman's Style No.17077 The Forest Maiden heads along the road after the Speech House event on 1st May
We have, however, caught sight of one or two traction engines at other events. A trip to the Exeter Rail Fair the day after our excursion over the Severn Bridge revealed four traction engines amongst the Class 31, 33, 4 7, 60, etc. diesels and preserved GWR and SR steam locomotives. Whilst all were now Devon based engines, two had Scottish connections. Wallis & Steevens 6NHP 8052 (OU7435) East Lothian Star was the last traction engine built by W & S, being sold at the 1936 Belfast Show, eventually going to Scotland. 1861 (CF3302), also 6NHP, of 1895 is the oldest existing Burrell single-crank compound in working order, and although built for a company in Scotland, never got that far, spending all its working life in Suffolk. A gap of thirty years separates double-crank
Burrell SNHP double-crank Compound No.4014 Pride of Devon basks in the sunshine at Exeter Rail Fair on 2nd May
compound 5NHP Burrell 4014 (TT5615) Pride of Devon, which worked at the famous Kings' Yard in Bishops Lydeard, Somerset. Another engine with an interesting history is Sentinel 1465 (AW3321) which was built in 1916 as a Standard Waggon for a brewery, but was fitted with a 'super' engine in 1942 and used for works' transport by Sentinels.
Although we did no more than drive past the Bristol Leisure and Motor Show in mid-June, having watched the paddle steamer Waverley sail down the River Avon, a glimpse was had of the engine line, and a closer, if brief, view ofFoden wagon 11850 (MB9404) Superior, heading in the opposite direction as we came home from a walk in the countryside at the end of the day.
As we do not expect to visit many events this summer, it is up to you to send me Rally Reports for the next issue of Raising Steam or this column will be very short next time. There's a prize waiting for the best write-up of a rally you have visited!
FOR YOUNGER READERS
THE ADVENTURES OF GRACE AND JAMIE C 'n' S
The story so far ... Twins Grace and Jamie have discovered an old abandoned traction engine, called The Emperor. Their friend, Mr. Johnson, has begun the long and difficult job of restoring The Emperor back to working order. In the meantirrie the twins have joined the Young Steamers Club, and are eagerly awaiting the first event of the year.
It was Spring, the weekend of the first traction engine rally of the season, and a lot had happened since last summer when Grace and Jamie had found the old traction engine at their grandparents' farm in the country.
The twins were almost uncontrollable in their excitement. "Will The Emperor be in steam?" asked Jamie, a bit unsure what the engine would look like.
"Of course it will", screeched Grace, "Mr. Johnson has finished restoring it now. Silly!", she added, unnecessarily.
"I am not silly," retorted Jamie, "And anyway, how do you know?"
And so it went on, all Saturday at the supermarket with their Dad, and while their Mum was trying to paint the outside of the windows. They were even worse at bed-time and very nearly got into trouble with their silliness and arguing!
The rally was some way from the twins' home in the town, so they all had to be up early on the Sunday morning for the drive into the country, especially as they wanted to be there in time for the Young Steamers Club activities. Somehow, though, Grace and Jamie managed to get up and dress much quicker than they did for school days.
The magazine from the Young Steamers Club had told them to wear old clothes and sensible shoes if they were going to take part in a traction engine rally. Grace and Jamie were a bit unsure what was meant by 'take part' but were quite happy with the idea of wearing old clothes. Whilst the twins were different in many ways, one thing they had in common was their dislike of washing or putting on tidy clothes!
The rally was in a large field by the side of a country lane, half-way up a hill. The sun was shining and columns of dirty smoke drifted slowly up towards the pale blue sky. In the distance a fairground organ could be heard but otherwise there was a quiet hum of preparation and activity, as though something special was about to happen. The twins proudly showed their membership cards for free entry, leaving their parents to pay for themselves and buy a souvenir programme.
"But where's The Emperor?" wailed Jamie, as they searched the pages of the programme in vain.
"Perhaps they just forgot to put it in by mistake", said Grace hopefnlly.
They all set off in search of their beloved engine, when a young woman in blue·overalls, carrying a bundle of rags and wearing a tee-shirt printed with the words Young Steamer, came over to them and asked if they would like to help clean the traction engines. Imagine their surprise when they found Mr. Johnson alongside the engine they were to clean.
"Grace," said Jamie, "Does this engine look familiar to you?"
"Well, sort of," she replied, "If it had a cobweb here, and a broken chimney, and rust everywhere, it would look like The Emperor, but that's not what it's called."
"Don't worry children, I can explain." said Mr. Johnson, "This is your old engine all right."
"Gosh!" they exclaimed, as they admired the fresh red paintwork, gleaming metalwork and varnished wood. "But if this is The Emperor, why has it got this other name N-a-p-something-or-other?"
Mr. Johnson explained that their grandparents had forgotten the engine's real name, but knew it was something to do with a king or ruler, so they called it The Emperor when it came to work on the farm many years ago. When they were cleaning the engine ready to restore it, Mr. Johnson and his work mates had found a small nameplate engraved Napoleon, and that was the name in the programme.
The rest of the morning was spent cleaning and polishing the engine. This they did with much more enthusiasm than either of the twins usually managed for the dusting and cleaning they had to do at home to earn their pocket money. They also helped stack the bags of coal and wood for lighting the fire and helped to oil some of the moving parts.
All their hard work was rewarded when they sat safely in the back of the engine while it trundled slowly around the arena. What's more, Napoleon won first prize for the best turned out traction engine, so they must have made a good job of the cleaning and polishing.
At the end of the day, when they had exhausted their Mum and Dad by dragging them round every exhibit, large or small, they went to say good-bye to Mr. Johnson and Napoleon.
"I'm sure it said 'Thank you'," said Jamie to his sister on the way home in the car.
"Don't be silly," replied Grace, "It's a machine, not Trevor the Traction Engine you know!"
"All the same," continued her brother, "I'm sure I heard something ... " "Silly boy", thought Grace to herself. What next for our traction engine loving twins?
Can Napoleon really talk?
Can you suggest the next adventure for Grace and Jamie? Send your ideas, (or your Mum's or Dad's!), to C 'n' S. Your name could appear in the next story, and you would receive an extra copy of the magazine!
Drawing by Francis Watson (age 6)
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SOMERSET STEAM SPECTACULAR 1993
Steam Apprentice Club activities at last year's Low Ham, Langport Rally.
Kate Leaman (left) helps polish
Jason and Stephen B. hands dirty baggir.
Stephen}J Stea rackstone li h
rackstone getting their ig coal at Low .ffam ,n Tractor Iv. g. ts the ft o.333278 P _lreon Garrett rincess )\,,.1.v.Lary
Foden Waggon 11850 Superior
COMPETITION PAGE
Crossword No.4
Lee Chadderton
Across
1. Name of Burrell road 6 roller in Vol.7 No.2 (spring flower) (8)
4. Paddle Steamer (Abbrevia tion)/Paragr a p h at end of letter (Abbreviation) (2)
6. (And 10 Down) Name of famous haulier, owner of Atlas, Vulcan, etc. (Wis- 11 dom?) (6,3)
7. Th ursford, Hollycombe, Black Country, Amberley Chalk Pits, etc. - place to visit (6)
9. Weather we don't want 14 at rallies! (4)
11. Burrell engine made for hilly areas/County in South of England (10)
14. These will flicker in the firebox (5)
15. Make of Fowler tractor (big cat?) (5)
Down
1. Seen on front of Showman's engines (or back of push-bike) (6)
2. They hold the front rolls on a road roller (for eating your dinner?) (5)
3. Colour scheme of an engine (6)
5. Tool (for turning nuts) (7)
8. . .. Harris, or Ferguson (messy tractor?) (6)
10. (And 6 Across) Name of famous haulier (square container) (6,3)
11. Allows driving wheels to turn at different speeds (4)
12. Piston ... , Smoke ... , Smokebox door ... (sound of bell?) (4)
13. What we breathe (3)
Send your solutions on a plain piece of paper or photocopy this page, to avoid spoiling the magazine, to SAC, 93 Devon Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6ED. Prize for the first correct answer drawn out of a hat on 20 August will be a VIDEO TAPE, Traction Engines - A Technical Insight, by Insight Films for Farming Press Videos, (or something else if you don't have a video player). GOOD LUCK!!!!
PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
The 1994 Steam Apprentice Club Photographic Competition
We hope that you will consider entering the increasingly popular photo competition. Again there will be
two age groups and engraved medals for all six prize winners. In addition to the medals, winners will aa
receive rolls of colour film and we may be able to offer other prizes if we can find a suitable sponsor. The best overall entry in either age group will be presented with the Dorset Trophy, currently help by James Duncombe, last year's winner.
Rules
1. Entry to this competition is restricted to fully subscribed members of the Steam Apprentice Club (SAC).
2. Each member's entry will consist of three photographs, preferably 6in x 4in. prints, colour or black and white, and they should have been taken in the period 31st July 1993 to 25th September 1994.
3. Entries must be sent to the Editor of the SAC Magazine by Saturday 1st October 1994.
4. All entries must have the following details on the reverse of each photograph: name, address, age and SAC membership number; place, date and details of the engine or subject. (It is better to write these details on a piece of paper and then stick this on the back of the photo.)
5. Copyright on all entries will remain with the SAC member submitting the photographs and the organisers promise that prints will not be used in any manner or display other than in connection with the 1994 Photographic Competition. (A selection of entries will appear in subsequent SAC Magazines.)
6. All entries are to include a suitable stamped addressed envelope to ensure photographs can be returned. The organisers promise to return all entries after display and/or publication if this rule is adhered to.
7. The competition will be judged in two age groups: up to 15 years; 16 years and over. Prizes and engraved medals for First, Second and Third places will be awarded in each age group. The best overall entry will receive the Dorset Trophy shield, to be held for one year.
Judging
The judges will be looking for originality, composition and technical ability. Photographs do not have to be of traction engines, but other subjects must be clearly related to the traction engine hobby/movement. The judges' decision on all entries will be final and members are asked to accept them in a spirit that will bring credit to themselves and the Steam Apprentice Club.
COME ON DON'T BE SHY -POINT THE LENS AND PRESS THE SHUTTER!
RAIL-ROLLING ROUND SWITZERLAND
Derek Rayner
Note. In addition to the ones mentioned in the text, other steam rollers may also be found adjacent to a road or in a works yard visible from the road in the place names underlined but they are not able to be seen from a railway line.
Mention was made in a recent issue about steam rollers on display at various places in Switzerland. An easy way to see several of these is to take a railway journey through the country, for some of them are very conveniently situated, either by the side of the line or close to it and are visible from the train. Our journey therefore starts at one of the main railway frontier points when entering Switzerland, at Basel, where our train may be shunted around the station for a considerable time before proceeding on its way.
We head first for Zurich where, just past the suburban station of Schlieren, on the way in, Walo-Bertschinger, a countrywide and well known road construction firm have a staff hotel and restaurant. This is just visible on the left hand side of the train and, parked outside on a high plinth, is a small Wallis & Steevens roller, No.2451, originally supplied to Rebora Bros. at Brig in Switzerland as a tractor in 1899. It was first built in 1898 and may have been the prototype of the 3 ton Wallis steam motors.
Photo 1. A trailed scarifier fronts plinthed Aveling & Porter roller 10845 of 1924, a piston valve compound machine in the fork of two railway lines at Wohlen. It was No.32 in the fieet of A. Kappeli's Sohne AG. The large bracket on the front was for pulling the scarifier backwards as it was usually difficult to turn the roller round.
It was converted to a roller using spare parts specially ordered from the manufacturer's works at Basingstoke in 1909, is named Mareli and obviously served its subsequent owners well for it to have remained in such good condition for so long.
Returning from the Hauptbahnhof (Main station) in Zurich and then by one of the many small private railways, this one being from Dietikon to Wohlen - a roadside hugging railway with powerful electric railcars, what the Americans would call an inter-urban, we change trains at Wahlen and head for Lenzberg. On the left, just outside Wohl en station, in the fork of another private railway branch line, stands an Ave ling & Porter roller on a plinth in the yard of A. Kappelli's Sohne. This is a piston valve compound, No.10845 of 1924 (Photo 1). Incidentally, round the back and out of sight of the line are four other rollers, derelict, one of them a Fowler but the firm also have another, in working order, which they take to shows.
Changing atAarau and taking a train for Bern,just before the station atZollikofen, on the right, over the parallel road and outside the works of Marti AG., can be seen a German built Zettelmeyer roller N o.575 of 1930, whilst again on the right, between this station and Bern itself, very close to the railway is a very late Wallis & Steevens 'Advance' No.8113 of 1939 belonging to the firm of Stuag AG. Only five more rollers were made by Wallis & Steevens after this one. A local journey to Biel/Bienne gives us the chance to see the Wallis again as we pass right by it and then, just past the station at Schupfen, a little distance from the railway at the other side of the main road through the village, is another Wallis 'Advance', plinthed up. This one is N o.8054 of 1930 and belongs to E. Heller, a road making firm in Schupfen (Photo 2). This firm have another two rollers in the vicinity, one being a German built Henniger
2. Wallis & Steeuens 'Advance' roller No.8054 of 1930 by the side of the road at Schupfen. Another two rollers are close by. The railway runs behind the houses in the background.
Photo
which is usually to be found at the local school under its own little protective roof and the other is a rest,o.red Aveling & Porter which they keep at their works. These latter two are steamable and also attend shows.
Switzerland effectively consists of three separate peoples, French speaking, German speaking and, in the south, over the mountains, those who speak Italianall living in harmony within the boundaries of their peace loving nation. It is to the south, via Luzern that we now head. At the side of the line adjacent to the lake when leaving Luzern is the Swiss Transport Museum (Verkehrshaus) where among the wonderful collection of exhibits, including railway locomotives, steam boats, cars, trams and buses, can be seen a Garrett roller, No.29763, built in Suffolk in 1911. This is sometimes visible from the railway line, depending on what the museum have been doing with it. It is unusually fitted with a superheater built into the chimney base.
The railway, which climbs up the famous St. Gotthard pass to the tunnel, heading for Chiasso and Italy, is a feature of the journey in itself. It is very steep and sometimes long freight trains, with two or three locomotives at the front can be seen queuing to slot in between the faster passenger trains over the top. Here the line goes in and out of tunnels quite frequently and some of these are built in spiral form to gain or lose height - so on occasions, three levels of the same railway line can be seen, crossing and criss-crossing the valley. The snow covered mountain tops and waterfalls swelled by heavy rain pour their contents into fast and angry rivers heading for the lakes and it is to Lugano, on the shores of the lake of the same name that we come to conclude our journey.
The railway's overhead line structures can be seen in front of the factory on the right.
Photo 8. Taverne, just to the north of Lugano, is the location of this 1936 German built Zettelmeyer roller No.624. It is to be found in the works yard of Cogesa SA.
Adjacent to the station of Taverne. a few kilometres to the north of Lugano is another Zettelmeyer roller, No.624 of 1936, owned by the firm of Cogesa SA, right next to the line (Photo 3). Lugano station overlooks the lake and is surrounded by several hills, the summits of some of which can be reached by rack railways. In addition, a short funicular (rope hauled cliff type railway) enables the town down on the lake side to be visited. But it is to our final train, which will take us into Italy, that we must go.
Immediately to the south of the station and over the level crossing, again on the right hand side, standing high in a park with several deer and sheep in a mini-zoo for company, can just be seen the chimney top and canopy of our last roller on this very quick journey through Switzerland. This is Aveling & Porter No.6738, a 1909 roller owned by the local firm of N ovastrada SA. (Photo 4). This interestingly carries a washout plate on the boiler backhead above the firehole door in French and a rectangular Aveling continental boiler plate in German riveted on the right hand side hornplate. This roller, in common with others in Switzerland, also featured an item which is rather strange to British eyes - a swivelling chimney cap, operated by a handle and a long rod to the chimney base so that it can be worked by the driver from ground level. It also has a guard ove·r the flywheel.
So we leave this country with so much of transport interest, with so many private railways (some steam hauled), cable cars, rack railways, trams, trolley buses and steam boats to please everyone -not forgetting the many steam rollers - and there are some eighty of these, which have their own fascination to many. These are there to be found, if one knows where to look.
Photo 4. A picture taken in the rain and in near darkness in a park close to the Bahnhof at Lugano. Aveling single No.6738 of 1909 features a chimney cap operated from the ground and, somewhat unusually, a flywheel guard.
ABERYSTWYTH STEAM ROLLERS
John Reeves
I was interested to read 'Hunslet Hundred Steam Gala' by Anthony Coulls in the Autumn 1993 Raising Steam (Vol.7 No.4). As a native of Aberystwyth born and bred, as they say - I was especially interested to see his comments about Steve Milns' Aveling and Porter roller No.9264 (EJ966) Lady Hesketh; she was indeed 'Aberystwyth RDC No.l', and I am pleased to say that Steve had his plate caste to original pattern from a photograph I gave him a few years ago ofN o.9264 in her working days.
I had just completed some research into the history of steam roller working in Cardiganshire, some results of which were published in Old Glory magazine as 'Cardi Survivors'(No.9, July/August 1990). The full story would take up far too much of your magazine space, but Anthony, and other members may be interested in one or two details of 9264's history.
Aberystwyth RDC (Rural District Council) operatedjust two rollers, both Avelings; Steve's was No.1, while No.2 was Aveling No.11330 (EJ1246). The latter did not survive and was cut up in 1962. 9264 was in fact a GND class compound convertible, supphed as a tractor; however she seems to have spent most of her working life as an eight ton roller. Her original tractor front wheels were apparently used to 'cap' a well in the village of Bow Street near Aberystwyth; they were buried in concrete, so I doubt that they could now be found!
Aveling & Porter No. 9264 (EJ966) Lady Hesketh after her runaway accident in 1927
Mr. Walter Jones of Nebo with the Aberystwyth RDC Aveling and Porter roller No. I (EJ966) which he drove for some years.
(Photo courtesy W. Jones)
In July 1927 she was involved in an all too common accident. While descending Penglais Hill into Aberystwyth with her living van, she ran away; the steerer jumped off, but J.D. Griffiths the driver stayed with her until she crashed through the wall of the workhouse, breaking off her front roller in the process. On the way down she scattered a group of horses! The strange thing is that, though a local photographer recorded the incident, neither of the local papers reported it, and the Council records mention only that there was an Inquiry into "the recent accident to Steam Roller No.1 ... ". So the mystery remains, though two local people told me that they remember the accident happening. No.1 was soon back at work and happily survived long enough to go into preservation; she worked for Cardiganshire County Council from 1930.
Other 'Cardi' rollers survive. Ex-Aberaeron RDC and Cards. CC Aveling 10272 (EJ860) is at the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum in Cardiff; the big 18 ton 1895 single No.3586Lady ofLovesgroue was recently advertised for sale following the death a couple of years back of Bill Foxall who owned her jointly with GeoffMinshull for many years. A little six ton Aveling AD class compound 14150 (DW7867) is with S. Davis ofRedditch. This came to Cards. CC from Henry Richards of Newport as late as 1959 (for £150!!) when they were building roads for the Nantymoch Hydroelectric System.
Non-council owned survivors are: a Marshall convertible No.65650 of1914 vintage, originally operated in tractor form by Tom Savage of Aberys.twyth, and Fowler
No.22596 Evening Star, the last steam roller built at the Steam Plough Works, and operated for years by W.L. Williams of Alltwalis on the Cardiganshire/ Caermarthenshire border. Now owned by Haydn and Joy Davies it is back in its old area-the only Cards. roller that is! The little Marshall incidentally, is owned by Mrs. Edna Driscoll in Essex.
So there we are then, as they say in Cardiganshire! Hope this has not been too boring - we middle aged Apprentices ("never too young to learn") tend to go on, don't we? Ask Kate Leamon -she was taught by me!!!
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